NexXt 2 Blow ventures out to the Midwest to Ohio to introduce you to one of the top Running-backs in the Class of 2023 Zion Turner, he has the “Juice” pull up a chair and I will tell you more about this future phenom what makes him Elite. From the outside looking in Zion Turner seems to be your average kid whose favorite food is “pizza” and favorite subject is science after all he carries a 3.0 gpa with dreams of someday serving his community as a Police Officer. Being from Ohio it is only fitting Lebron James is his Role Model but things get interesting when you ask Zion about his favorite team & player, which would be the New England Patriots and of course Tom Brady. Now the thing that sticks with me about Zion is while Ohio State is his favorite college team, he had no problem saying when it came to College choices he Favorited West Virginia, Virginia, Virginia Tech simply because of him favoring the offensive scheme fit. See when it comes to sports Zion lights up after all he runs Track Plays Basketball and Wrestles which is what attributes to Zion being such a freak of an athlete on the gridiron. If you’re a regular on the All-Star Football circuit you will have defiantly heard or seen Zion win Mvp awards in a couple of those games proving to be a man amongst boys when competing against his peers, but don’t feel bad if you didn’t hear about him in that way because I didn’t either. My first-time hearing of Zion was courtesy of Coach Jeff Triggs I thought he was just blowing smoke being a homer about how good this kid was, but when I popped on the film this kid was as advertised and then some total package as a Running-back. Zion is a big back, but he displays surprising agility and great speed, you look at him and see a power back, but he has all the skills and intangibles of a much smaller scat-back. When I see Zion I see a kid who is coming into his own and figuring out how to use his body, this kids best Football is in front of him and you heard it here first he might be the top back in the class of 2023. If you ever find yourself wondering why Ohio State is a National powerhouse always remember it starts on the Youth level with future phenoms like Zion Turner remember the name because you will be seeing it on Rivals & 247 in the near future this kid is just oozing with loads of potential.

The Skinny

Zion Turner has quick footwork, exceptional balance and is explosive. He hits the h*** hard and gets up-field quickly. He's big enough to pound it between the tackles, and he won't be afraid to get physical, lower his shoulder and pick up tough yards. He also has a mean stiff arm. That said, Turner displays great vision and can cut and change direction on a dime. His footwork and agility allow him to plant, take a sharp angle and create a new running lane. Turner breaks his share of long runs and often makes it look easy considering some of his team’s opponents aren’t that good, but don’t let that fool you Turner dominates the All-star circuit as well. Turner is effective in space due to his great body control and ability to redirect his momentum cleanly. And, unlike a lot of big backs, he doesn't need to gather his frame prior to changing direction. Turner is a big runner with the ability to create out of the edge. With that being said, he is at his best attacking defenses in between the tackles and getting vertical. Though he runs a bit high and can do a better job running behind his pads, he shows patience in pressing the h*** and the peripheral vision to see the cutback lane. He shows jump-cut ability as well. After bursting through the initial crease, he makes tight interior cuts, unlocking the defense at the second level. Shows agility that belies his size when side-stepping defenders.

At this stage, Turner doesn't always run as physical as his size would suggest he should as his first instinct oftentimes seems to be to elude defenders. When he does initiate contact, however, he shows a nice ability to spin away from contact and maintain his balance. He can do this both out in space and in more compressed areas. Turner should be a target for many High School programs when it’s time to take his talents to the next level, and he should be able to step in early in his career and be a contributor. Considering that he should get bigger & stronger before hitting the next level, he projects to the bell cow back at the next level once he understands pass protection responsibilities.